Connecticut's former U.S. Attorney Kevin O'Connor has long since started his role as one of the Department of Justice's top officials, leaving his spot as the highest federal law enforcement official in the state up for grabs. Though Nora R. Dannehy has been filling in as acting U.S. attorney, the White House has submitted the name of Michael G. Considine to be the permanent replacement.

Back in April, the Courant reported that Considine, the chairman of Day Pitney's white-collar defense and internal investigations group, had expressed interest in the job and was recommended for it by Rep. Chris Shays. Before his corporate defense career, Considine was deputy chief in the Long Island Division in the New York U.S. attorney's office in the mid 1990s.

The Senate must confirm nominations to high executive-branch posts. This can sometimes be a lengthy affair -- especially if any notes of controversy arise.

The process to confirm O'Connor as the No. 3 position in the justice department took months, though he wasn't considered a controversial nominee. Now, O'Connor is already in the rotation of law-enforcement officials regularly testifying on Capitol Hill -- this week, talking about offshore companies and tax evasion before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs' Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell had also made a recommendation to the White House, arguing that Ross H. Garber, former chief counsel in the governor's office who defended Gov. John Rowland, would be the best choice. As an editorial in the Courant pointed out back in February, that would have put him in charge of the prosecutors he faced as they went after his former boss.